Method and apparatus for manufacturing tires, hose, and the like.



M. SMITH.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING TIRES, HOSE, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED 0120.43.1916.

1,Q69,229 [7 Patented June 11, 1918.

IICHAEL SMITH, 0F PASSAIC, NEW J'SEY.

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i Ai -VB EQE MANUFACTURING THEE, HGSE,

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Specification at Letters Eatent. Patented June fill, 51%1180 .hpplicatiou flied December 13, 18W. serial No. 1363M.

Methods and Apparatus for Manufacturing Tires, Hose, and'the like, of which the to lowing is a specification. f

My 'nvention relates in general to the manufacture of articles composed of super' posed layers of rubber andcloth, such as for example tires, rubber hose and the like. More particularly, the invention resides in an improved method and apparatus for obtaining a more intimate contact and union of the rubber and cloth, whereby greater strength and durability in this class of articles ma be gained.

Y The undamental principle employed is to subject the exposed surface to the steady inelastic pressure of water or other liquid whereby the two or more layers are forced into positive uniform contact with each other at all points regardless of inequalities of surface, and with equal inelastic pressure in all directions.

portion in toward the center.

It will be understood, however, that the broader features of the invention are by no means limited to the manufacture of this particular article.

As is wellknown, there are two common methods of vulcanizing and integrating tires and the like. These methods, however, have certain disadvantages which will be pointed out. According to one method, the tire is built up on a'solid metal core and is then placed in a mold which is made in half portions that are adapted to join at the outer circumference or tread portion of the tire. Considerable hydraulic pressure is then brought to bear on the sides of the mold so as to press it together and compress the constituents of the tire. This side pressure, to a certain extent, forces the unvulcanized plastic mass of rubber composition, which forms the tread, outward toward the line at which the molds join, anda comparatively small amount of direct pressure is brought to bear in the direction in which it is much needed, that is, from the tread Because oi this fact, it is very dificult to produce a on i the inclosed tire. parent that when the tire is vulcanized, the

' well united and durable tire. it is well known that during the process of vulcanizing the tire, the material of which it is composed shrinks somewhat. Furthermore, after the mold has been forced together, it is impossible to. exert any further pressure It will thus be apshrinking of the material will draw it away from the mold and consequently the pressure of the mold willbe somewhat relieved. I

This latter is quite undesirable because it increases the difficult of making a proper unification oi the di erent portions of the t1re. Y

According to the other method, the tire is built up on a solid iron core, side plates are applied to the tire to receive the hydraulic pressure, and then both tire and plates'are wrapped u with a ribbon of canvas under a pull of a out fifty pounds. The tire is then subjected to hydraulic pressure upon the sides. The vulcanizing is done under a pressure of live steam raised to the temperature required to cure the particular compound used. This pressure bears upon all the wrapped portion of the tire not covered by the side plates. A disadvantage of this method lies in the fact that the amount of pressure must be governed by the heat which the compound will stand. A pressure of fifty pounds per square inch can hardly be obtained, and at the same time, owing to the elasticity of this pressure, gases are sometimes liberated in the vulcanizing mass. This as collects in little pockets and ma ruin t e tire. I The object o the present invention is to overcome defects such as I have described and in order to do this, I have invented a method and device by means of which-I am showing portions of a mold and a tire in process oi construction;

Fig. 2 1S a transverse view thereof on the line IL-Jll of Fig. l;

I layers of fabric and rubbe a plurality of superposed layers of ru her 10 and fabric or clot 5o sealed b operatin j Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a portion of the tire material showing the superposed a Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a vulcan- 5 izing tank with several filled molds disposed an inner hollow and per orated form 12 into which is led a water pi e 13 provided with a control valve 14.- an ports 15 whereby water is introduced inside the form and can pass through the perforated form into the ZOE-desired contact with the inner surface. of the tire. An air pipe 16 has its opemng 17 at at a point above the termination of water pipe 13 and permits the escape of air d1slaced by the water introduced mto the 26 orm. After the" escape of air ceases, the

stop cock 18 may be operated to shut off this pipe. The control valve 14 is at the time also closed so, that the water after dislacing all the air is confined withm the I so orm and tire. A pair of outer mold memhers 19, 20 are ada ted to be umted upon the outer surface 0 the" tire by means of their perforated flanges or ears 21 and 22, through which bolts 23 pass. It will be i understood that the form 12' and the mold members 19', 20 ma be constructed of comparatively thin lig t material as the compression operation is to be accomphshed. by

submerging the water-filled tire and mold 40 in a surrounding body of water, after which the control valve 14 is o ned to establish a "communication between t e inner and outer water and thus equalizes the pressures to which the tire and mold are exposed.

The submerging of the filled molds is illustrated in Fig. 4:. The individu' molds I :are first filled, with the air escape ort 17 uppermost, thus driving out all of t 0 contained air, after which the two pipes are their control valves. The mol s thus fille are successively laced in the inner tank 24: which is su plle with water under suitable pressure t ough the supply pi e 25. After the molds are sub;

5 merged, t e valves 14 of the tire forms are opened, so that whatever ressure is maintained in the tank 24 is a o presentinside of the tires submerged therein. A cover 26 is then placed on the tank 24 so that the desired pressure. may be developed and maintained therein, by means of water sup pipe 25. Communicating1 and 28 are arranged outsi cover and supplied with l1ve steam by way of the steam pipe 29, the condensed steam flowing out by way of the outlet steam spaces in this example under a heating operation effected by the introduction of live steam at the desired pressure and temperature which will be governed by the nature of the ma- 30. The vulcanization and unification thus take place e of the tank and terial 'to be vulcanized. The use of the steady inelastic pressure of a liquid will result in the application of the unifying force equally in all directions so that the rubber will virtually be forced into the cloth and the resulting tire or the like will have all of its parts firmly united not only at the sides but on the tread or outer periphcry as well. The process is thus essentially different from the ordinary process of applying hydraulic pressure to the sides of two mold elements which are merely forced toward each other against the two lateral surfaces of the tire, which can exert no direct pressure where it is most needed, namely, on the tread portion inward toward the center. a

I claim 4 1. Apparatus for vulcanizing and integrating tires and the like under water pressure, comprising in combination a perforated hollow core upon which the tire is built, a form for inclosing" said tire and water inlet and air outlet pi es for said core, arranged one within the ot er.

2. he method of vulcanizing and integrating tires, hose and the like, which consists in building u the tire on a erforated hollow core, incloslng the tire in orms, displacing the air in said core with a liquid,

sealing said core, placing the whole m aa tank, submerging the same in a li uid, opening said seal to permit e ualization of the hqllld pressure inside an outside of said core, and increasing the liquid pressure to the desired degree.

.3. The method of vulcanizing and integrating tires, hose and the like, which consists in buildingl up the tire on a erforated hollow core, inc osmg the tire in orms, displacing the air in said core with a liquid, sealing-said core, placing the whole in a tank, submerging the same in a 1i uid, opening said seal to permit ualization of the liquid pressure inside an outside of said 'core, increasing the liquid ressure to the desired degree, and raising e temperature of the'water to the desired degree.

MICHAEL SMITH. 

